By Eric Elezuo

Behind his jovial disposition, which is characterized by high octane dancing, melodious singing and cracking of jokes, as well as his gentle mien, is a man who is nothing but an accomplished go-getter. The governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, has proved in a little more than one year that governance and delivery of democracy dividends are not rocket science. That explains why the Board of Editors of The Boss has chosen the amiable performer as the 2023 Governor of the Year.

When on November 26, 2022, he assumed the governorship position of one of the deprived states of the South West, Osun, having roundly defeated the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July of the same year polls, Adeleke knew there was no time to waste, and set machinery in motion to turn around the fortunes of the state.

DETAILED INTERVIEW WITH ARISE TV

In this few minutes chat, the very jovial governor engaged Arise Television correspondent, Ojy Okpe, in a no hold barred exposure of salient details of his person and the Osun State administration. Excerpts:

Governor Ademola Adeleke. Your Excellency, thank you for joining me on the programme…

Thank you very much

You’ve been referred to as the dancing senator. Now, the dancing governor owning to all of your dance moves on social media. You know, I highlight all of your stories on What’s Trending and I’d like to know where you got that from.

I’m supposed to be a musician but my father could not allow that. When we were going up in 50 60s, they didn’t believe that somebody should go and do music or play football. They just wanted you to go to school. So, it discouraged me but I knew that I still had that talent. Thank God that I passed it to my nephew and my son they’re doing very well.

You taught your nephew how to dance?

Yes

But you’re multi-talented…

Yes.

I heard that you’re also a drummer and only recently I heard you sing. So you’re a complete well-rounded entertainer. My God, you know people say that if you leave the government house you have a career in music or entertainment are you going to go for that?
Never say never!
Would you do that?
It can happen.

Sure?

Never say never. Anything can happen. You know, if you play music now, I don’t know how, but something will just tell me, and my body will just start moving without knowing it.

You were telling me earlier that you participated in a lot of dancing competitions…

Let me tell you about that, I got to America in 1981, and then of course the name of my school at that time in Alabama, United States of America was Jacksonville State University.

Wow! coincidence…

Yes! It is a Countryside university. There was a day that the school was having its anniversary. A lot of activities, and festivities and so there was a dancing competition, I picked the dancing part. After stage one, and stage two, we got into the finals. To cut a long story short, I won. When I won, I remember vividly, the president of our school, was trying to pronounce my name, and he couldn’t. He said, “Oh what a heck”, and it was during the time Jackson 5 was reigning. He said, “You know what, you won this election in school here, you’re now Jackson. I call you Jackson.”.

Don’t tell me that’s how you got your name.

That’s how I got my name. And Jackson stuck.

Wao!

I have it in my passport, my certificate, and everything.

I was just saying coincidentally I thought you were born Jackson.

My father me the names Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke. My mom gave me Ifaenyi because she’s Igbo. But in the passport, you are only allowed to use three names. Now, I have Ademola Jackson Adeleke.

Fantastic! The dancing Governor! This is exactly why you are the dancing Governor…

So, it started a long time ago.
It’s beautiful to hear. Now, tell us how you grew up. You know, I’d love the story that you’ve just narrated about your early life in America. I’d like to know how you grew up your childhood, your family life…
Yes, we have a fantastic family. The Adeleke family. My father, is very disciplined. My mom was a trade unionist. My father was a nurse and they met my mom in Enugu. The 6 children were born in Enugu. It was during the war. My father even built a house there and gave it to his close friend when the war broke out. So, we have to rush down to Lagos. But before we left, all of us could not speak Yoruba.

Do you speak Igbo?

I speak Igbo.

Fantastic!

So, we can’t even speak Yoruba; all of us. We only speak Ibo, broken, and English.

But you’re not just from a multicultural family, you’re also from a multi-religious family.

Yes

Your father is Muslim and your mother is Christian, how did you combine that?

Well, that is why we are civilized. My father studied in the UK, and when he came to marry my mom, my grandmother told him “That look I hope you’re not going to change my daughter to practice Islam. He said no. We worship the same God Muslims say Allah and we Christians say God you know through Jesus Christ. So, it’s the same thing. It’s when people, especially the politicians when they want to use it, they start using religion. If they don’t use religion, they use ethnic. So, we grew up in our family Muslim-Christian and we stayed together. My father will take me to the mosque I will go there to pray. I will do it.

Fantastic

God is great! Then, I will go to church, Cherubim and Seraphim. Of course, that is where my dancing skills and of course music started.

In church?

Yes.

To tell you, the first video I saw you dancing was in church

Yes. It started from there. The interest started from there but my father would not allow me to be a musician. So, it’s just school, school, school and I’m glad my kids and my nephew are doing very well. we pass it to them.

Congratulations! They’re doing excellently well.

Yes. Yes…

You are a full entertainer. You are a drummer, a dancer, a singer, and of course a politician.

Yes.

And this brings me to my next question, I’d like you to analyze the current economic situation in Nigeria. What do you make of Tinubu’s administration in terms of what they’ve been doing for palliatives? But I also like to know what you’re doing in your state. What sort of palliatives have you begun to distribute? The 35,000 naira wage award that was announced on October 1st by President Bola Tinubu to go to citizens of each state have you started that distribution?

Minimum wage?

No, it wasn’t minimum wage. It was a wage award for 6 months.

Okay, yeah.

It appears that you’re not sure about that.

I’m not sure but he’s doing others, and we have released some money for the state to cushion the problem.

But has Osun State received any money from the federal government to distribute to civil servants and has that 35,000 naira wage award been offered to your citizens?

No!

So, that hasn’t come yet. Tell us about your palliative measures.

A huge sum of money. About 40-something billion. I have started paying that half salary little by little. I think we have paid about four times now.

Yes. I’ve seen that

Then, the pensioners have not had it so good. I’m paying them too. The pensioners and the retirees, I give them free Medical Care and all that so that’s part of your palliative to cushion the economic hardship. Even the health care…

Talk to us about health care…

All our primary health care, my God! I went there. I visited there myself. They told me that so a governor could come and visit. I said my own Governor is different. We have to start fixing all the health centers; about 332 wards simultaneously.

Fantastic!

To all the elderly, we gave them free medical care to the extent that we registered them. We told them they must come and register and we gave them a card.

Great

To the extent that if they go to another state, for example, Lagos state, if they are sick they will go and get treatment there and they will send the bill to the government and we pay for it and they’re very happy.
So, on my way to Osun State, we experienced a lot of bad roads but I was told that there were Federal roads. I also heard that you have done a lot on federal roads as well.

Yes. You see all those roads that you passed through are federal roads. But I started fixing it so that I could go give them the cheque but my people were suffering so I told myself that it might be difficult for me to get back the money spent on them. So, I decided to fix the state road first.

Absolutely

I suspended the Federal Road but I will complete the one that I started. So, I started fixing the state road, and of course the hinterland. I don’t just do the surface. In fact, most of the roads that the APC is claiming they fix it were to the federal government intervention. So, that means that they did not do any roads.

Now, have you presented your cheque to the federal government for the roads that you have fixed?

Well, up till now, I have not received anything.

Well, I hope you get that money back we keep our fingers crossed for you. We also heard that you’re trying to make Osun State a tourist hotbed what are your plans for that having visited the Erin Ijesha Waterfall?

Oh my God! It’s so beautiful. Can you imagine standing there for more than 2 hours God is wonderful. A lot of white people come there and I told myself that this is part of my agenda; tourism, culture, and entertainment. Because I lived in the US; entertainment and culture are the big thing.

We have gold too. They did nothing about that. But we are doing a lot to improve our IGR in terms of gold and bitumen. We have a lot in Osun state. We have to just tap it and as a very serious government, we have to know Osun is not poor. It is very rich. We have Cocoa, and I’ve already formed a lot of committees to make everything work. I am working 24/7 to make sure that Osun is great.

Now, I’d like to talk about your election; the 2022 election. The 2022 election was not your first election. The first governorship election was in 2018. I mean, you were in the Senate for a year, and a lot of people have said that they stole your mandate.

Big time! In the 2018 election, I won the election even the APC, and those people who colluded against me are now with me, they are now in PDP. They started telling me that they stole the mandate of the people. I was still cool, and I said no problem that means that it’s not my time, and I went back to school.

Which school did you go back to?

I went back to Jacksonville State University. In America, there is a system I would like to introduce to Osun State. I will take it to the House of Assembly for them to pass it into law.

In the United States of America, if you go to school whatever University or high school, and you drop for one reason or the other. Whether because you don’t have money. In my case, I had started making money big time. I’ve registered as a contractor, and I have a lot of contracts here and there. And everything was on my mind. So, I said this school should wait. So, I left to make money. When I read the Constitution, I realised you only need a High School certificate to be president or even attempted high school.

You started school in the United States, and then you dropped out. Then after, you lost the election in 2018, you went back to school to complete your University? What course did you study?

I studied criminal justice as a major, and minor in political science.

You complete your studies in what year?

I completed my studies in 2021.

Wao! Now you have a University degree?

Of course! With high honors check it out! Let them bring their own out. I went back to school they were abusing me then that look at our governor. In the Western World, all they know is study, and I promised I would give them the book. Some people advised me to go to UI and all. I said no. If I stay here, they will say you have money, and that I have used money to buy the certificate. That’s another controversy, let me go to America at the age of 60. I know I will suffer but I don’t care. I want sacrifice for my people and I want to tell my people that it’s never too late to do anything. All the people who drop out of school can go back to school. At my age, 61, I want to sacrifice for Osun state. Since it’s the requirement they are saying I don’t have, I went back to school for it.
Did you know that when I went to the school registrar, they searched for my transcript for more than one hour because since 1980 something but they found it? When they found it, then I took it to Atlanta Metropolitan State College. College is a University too in Europe. The University System of Georgia is where I went to. That one is in Atlanta so I completed it within 2 years. Some started to say is it not 4 years? My brother completed his B.Sc in 2 and a half years because you can do multiple hours if you are smart.

Absolutely! So, you graduated from that school in Atlanta with high honors.

I’ve got my certificate. I can show you.

So, where’s all the story about the F9s from?

That was when I took my WAEC in 1981. The exam board accessed my set of papers already. So, they started failing everybody and me I took the exam and didn’t wait to see the result I got my admission already in the US. Over there, they don’t even care if carry A1s. When you get to school, you must come and take their exam. For me, I already did my 12 exam, I did my ACT, I did my SAT and I passed. With that, I was admitted into the school and I didn’t bother to check the results.

So, it was when my brother died and I didn’t have time so I sent one of my PAs to go to my school to go and pick it up. I got F9 in English and the other ones were not released. But politicians took it up…(laughs). With this, I decided to go back to school. You know what, I shocked them. As I was doing my high school, I registered for my university; simultaneously.

How did you do in high school?

With honours…

Wow!

They didn’t know. So, when I got here, and I was submitting my credentials to INEC, they said what about the F9s in High School? And I told them I had done with it again. Then, the Ministry of Education helped me a lot. They now wrote me a letter that my school is recognized and of course, I have high honors and all. They accepted my high school too. They accepted the State High School in Pennsylvania and they stamped and signed it too.

Fantastic! So, in 2022, you came prepared?

In 2022, I was ready for them. So, I gave it to them and when they are talking, or when they go low, I go high. That is when they realize that this guy is ready.

So, in 2022, you won the election…
Landslide…but that election set some sort of precedence after the Supreme Court overturned the appeal Court’s decision and affirmed you governor of the state. You know there was that theory about the BVAS and overvoting. I mean that was the introduction of the BVAS, and the Supreme Court held that you won that election.

You know what, God loves me so much because I always praise him. They don’t know why I praise my God all the time. God’s always paving the way for me. That BVAS they introduced was for me. If they didn’t introduce that BVAS, they would rig me again. It was that BVAS that saved me. They said it was from the BIVAS they got all the authentic results. I said at this that President Buhari that time did this one. So, I went to greet him and said thank you for introducing this, for signing it into law.

There were two victories for you. There was a day you were announced winner and there was a day the Supreme Court affirmed you governor. As the authentic governor of Osun State, I’d like to know your feelings.

I felt so good, My family was there with me. Family Friends, and my nephew, Davido. One year now, Osun is moving.

It is one year. But you were absent for your first anniversary. You were not in the country…

Definitely

You recently returned. Why were you away?

If you calculate the time of the campaign, and of course the election proper, it is going like 2 and a half years. Since then, I’ve not done any checkups. That is what happened to our leaders, they will not do checkups, the will job be standing and they will slumb and die. A lot of people were planning for us to have a big party, and call the likes of Sunny Ade, Shina Peters, Ebenezer Obey, Davido, B-Red, etc. I was also going to invite you to come and celebrate with us because you don’t know that you’re my friend on TV. I always watch your show, and every time, I would be like “This What’s Trending Woman is here again. It makes Arise so popular.

Thank you, sir…

I have to give it to you. I love your show, and you are doing very well
I appreciate sir.
So, I was trying to avoid it because in our family we are plus size. The diabetes we have in our family is hereditary, and if you don’t watch your weight, you are gone. So, I went there for vacation and of course, I was still working too right yeah I was working while I was there. So, that was that was why I canceled it. Although a lot of people were surprised I canceled the celebration, I said we’re going to use that money to fix the road and give palliative. I wasn’t sick. But my detractor said that they wheeled out on a stretcher. I told them they were the ones they would wheel out.

You’ve talked about your detractors. When the Supreme Court affirmed your Victory, you know a lot of people talked about your relationship. What’s your relationship now with the immediate past Governor who is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola? What is your relationship with him?

Let me tell you something; when my brother took us to APC briefly before I left APC. When they didn’t want to give me the jump ticket when he died for me to go and replace him and all. We were very close, and when I left, things changed because I was contesting against him I said life is not like that. So, he just stopped calling me, and I said okay well it’s not by force that you have to be friends with me.
The Governor is one that’s supposed to nominate a minister. Well, since he lost the election, and the brother is the president. They nominated him on behalf of Osun, I didn’t say anything. I said well let him go.

You didn’t submit any names?

They didn’t ask me to submit any names.

Wow!

They just give it to him. They were supposed to tell me to submit names but he doesn’t know that even if they ask me to submit, if you come to me, I will give it to him right but what he did not do is to call me. I called him to ask what was wrong with him. I ask my people to support you, they’re not in APC. This is the first time this thing has happened so you can’t call me. He said Mr Governor, I’m sorry and all. I told him, it’s all good, and I hope they give you something good. So, you can bring something good to Osun. I wish you well brother. Bye-bye!

Was that the last time you spoke?

That was the last time.

What is your relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?

You know what, we have a good relationship.

Are you optimistic about Tinubu’s administration and his Renewed-Hope Agenda?

Well, you see one thing with me is that whichever way he gets there, God wants him to be there. That is my belief, and since he’s there now, he’s our President. So, we have to keep praying for him, his health and everything. So, he can do well for us all. It’s not here a year yet we are praying and watching that the suffering of our people will change, that is just our prayer. We hope things will be good for better because people are suffering.

Mr Governor, you are loved by the people of Osun.

Yeah!

I see your videos. I see the way people gravitate towards you…

Well, I just believe that uh I’m a grassroot man. I believe there time for everything. Time to be serious, time to relax and enjoy yourself, and of course I love dancing and love singing. So, I use that to cover and that’s why a lot of people don’t know I’m a very serious person I started doing all my projects. They said, “we thought this guy he’s not serious, and that he’s just dancing but while he’s dancing he’s working”. So, they were surprised and embarrassed by the achievements.
With all the love that you have right now from the people of Osun and I don’t think it’s just the people of Osun…

It’s all over Nigeria.

Absolutely!

Even across Africa. Straight up!

The dancing Governor…

All the way!

What’s next for you? Are you going to pursue your political career to become a president of Nigeria?

Well, I’m qualified to be President of Nigeria. Why not, if God says that it’s time for me to become president, I will grab it and take care of my people. You know anything can happen. If I can be Governor miraculously because I have too many enemies, but I prevailed over them of all.
Hey! If God says that I’m going to be there, I’m ready! I’m ready to serve my people. Anything can happen.

So, no entertainment for you you’re going straight to Aso Rock.

That’s it!

Mr Governor I’d like to thank you very much it’s been an absolute pleasure speaking with you.

Thank you so much!

THE MAN, ADEMOLA JACKSON ADELEKE 

Born of the Adeleke family of Ede in Osun State on May 13, 1960, Adeleke commenced his primary education at Methodist Primary School, Surulere Lagos State before he was privileged to relocate to Old Oyo State to continue his education at Nawarudeen Primary School, Ikire.

Adeleke was born Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke to a Muslim father and Nnena Esther Adeleke, an Igbo Christian mother. Like him, Adeleke’s father, Raji Ayoola Adeleke was a Senator and the Balogun of Ede land in Osun State. His father, Raji Ayoola Adeleke was also the leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

On completion of his primary education, he moved on to The Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School, Ede to begin his post primary schooling. In the later years however, he attended Ede Muslim Grammar School Ede, where he completed his secondary school education and subsequently relocated to the United States of America, joining his two older brothers, who were also studying there.

In the United States, he joined Jacksonville State University, Alabama, and studied Criminal Justice, with minor in Political Science.

To prove doubting Thomases, who wiped up controversies around his educational qualification, wrong, he went back to school and got enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 2021.

A businessman and administrator of no mean repute, Adeleke was the humble Group Executive Director at his brother’s company, Pacific Holdings Limited from 2001 to 2016, where his credible performances shot the company to enviable heights; a height it is still enjoying till date.

It is imperative to note that before he joined Pacific Holdings Limited, Senator Adeleke worked with Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia, US, as a service contractor from 1985 to 1989. His dexterity to work earned him a progression in career, and he berthed as Vice President at Origin International LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, US, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company. His meritorious stewardship lasted a period of five years, from 1990 to 1994.

Not a few has described Adeleke as the philanthropic capital of Ede, as his influence in aiding the less privileged and downtrodden remains top notch. He is a voracious believer in community development, and has not spared any expense to see that his community receives global influence.

Politically, Adeleke is a beacon of light and hard nut to crack, having remained an albatross to opposing powers and a reference point to ideal administration.

Shortly after he lost his brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died in April 2017, he contested the Osun West 2017 Senatorial by-election after the death of his brother, emerging as the winner under the Peoples Democratic Party, where he decamped to from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Having emerged senator, Adeleke’s political influence waxed stronger, an on July 23, 2018, he emerged as the governorship candidate of PDP in Osun State after defeating Akin Ogunbiyi by seven votes. Efforts made to deprive him of the mandate was twated by the courts.

Adeleke’s lawyer in his defense claims his secondary school hasn’t come out to deny his testimonial asking the court to dismiss the Case. The court dismissed the suit stating that the plaintiff could not prove Adeleke’s forgery.

Adeleke ran for Osun state governorship election under the PDP against top contenders Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC and Iyiola Omisore of SDP on 22 September 2018. The election was declared inconclusive by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) while Adeleke was leading, and a rerun slated on September 27, 2018. The candidate of the APC Oyetola was declared winner after the run-off. Adeleke protested the result describing the election as a “coup”.

Much as on March 22, 2019, the tribunal sitting in Abuja declared Adeleke the winner of the election, the Supreme Court later affirmed Gboyega Oyetola as the authentic winner of the 2018 Osun State governorship election on Friday, July 5, 2019

Popularly known as the Dancing Senator because of his penchant to joyfully react to the sounds of music, Adeleke is uncle to one of Nigeria’s popular musicians, Davido.

Governor Adeleke is married to an equally successful businesswoman and a self-made boss. They are blessed with three children who are all entertainers. They are B-Red and Shina Rambo and a daughter, Nike Adeleke. He is the uncle of one Nigeria’s primus inter pares in entertainment, Davido.

As expected, Adeleke is moving Osun State to the greatest of heights as he promised, and many who know him agree that there are still very many more in the offing.

HIS EXTRAORDINARY EASE OF DOING BUSINESS STRATEGY 

The governor has shared good news on the ease of doing business in the state as follows:

In continuation of our administration’s effort to improve the state economy and encourage the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), we have completed the harmonization of multiple taxes and levies collected by different government departments, agencies, and ministries across all business sectors of the state economy including the informal sectors into a single bill. This Harmonized Bill curates all levies, which businesses are expected to pay on an annual basis as a single bill.

This initiative is to promote ease of doing business by ensuring seamless and convenient payment of levies and taxes due to individuals and businesses across the state in equal or unequal tranches and ensure the issuance of Harmonized Bill Certificate upon completion of payment of the total amount.

I hereby note to all business owners in Osun state both in formal and informal sectors that the official online payment channels for the state is http://pay.irs.os.gov.ng; POS machines in Tax stations across the state; commercial banks across Nigeria; and Money Transfer Services for those outside Nigeria.

In addition, we have also completed the deployment of Automation System for improved service delivery on payment of rent and lease on government properties; processing of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) in 45 days; Electronic Affidavit System; Electronic State of Origin and Local Government Area of Origin portal; Mobile tax stations; Online Tax payment system etc.

ADMINSTRATION’S ACHIEVEMENTS AS SHARED ON NEW YEAR DAY

The governor declared as follows:

The good people of Osun state at home and abroad.

I greet you warmly with best wishes of a prosperous and blessed new year. I convey my intimate prayers that the new year will bring us new opportunities, progress and advancement as a state and in our individual lives.

I extend new year greetings to the elders of Osun state; to our royal fathers; to our religious leaders; to the young and the old; to professional elite, to artisans, to students and to womenfolk. Accept my sincere appreciation for your support before my election and for the last one year of my governorship of our dear state. I am humbled by your prayers and mass backing for our administration.

I remain firmly focused on the Five Point Agenda under which you, Osun people, elected us into office. We reaffirm our faith in the principles guiding the five point agenda which are transparency and accountability, open government, localisation, responsive leadership and attunement to citizens’ aspirations.

On the strength of the above, our government devised wholesale approach to governance such as:

●Dismantling bobby traps planted by our predecessor,
●Blocking leakages in public finance, ●Addressing the corruption and revenue diversion in the solid mineral sector,
● Restoring local government administration for grassroot development
● Embarking on mass water project provision
● Executing 91 kilometers of road construction
● Implementing free medical surgeries with over 50,000 beneficiaries;
● Total renovation of 31 schools
● Launching sport sector reforms
● Reviving the major commercial and industrial projects of the state
● Pushing for implementation of agric processing zone in Osun state;
● re-professionalisation of the public service;
● Strong attention to workers’ welfare;
● Tapping into tourism, entertainment and cultural potentials of the state;
● Ramping up efforts for a cargo and commercial airport for Osun state, among others.

Our administration achieved a lot by ensuring belt tightening, reducing cost of governance and denying ourselves many perquisites of office. As a Governor, my official expenditures are covered through the approval process rather than security votes, thereby assuring transparency and accountability.

As of today, our administration is struggling to purchase official vehicles for the state cabinet because the officials of the previous government bolted away with state vehicles. So our cabinet and other top officials have been using their private cars since we appointed them into office. Also, we are still working to renovate the official quarters vandalized by the officials of previous governments. Many of our top officials still operate from their private houses.

Despite the above handicap, our team is determined to continue to deliver on our electoral promises. I am glad to report with gratitude to God that we have remained responsive to the will and aspirations of our people. We get positive feedback and we are satisfied with our high approval ratings.

We are challenged to do more. We are prepared to make corrections where necessary as much as we will remain uncompromising when it comes to anti-corruption drive, transparency and accountability as well due process. As I always affirm, our tenure is married to rule of law and fear of God.

As a people, our nation is passing through serious economic challenges. As a sub-national entity ,Osun, like all other states within the federation ,bears harsh consequences of inflationary crisis, high cost of living and unstable exchange rates. These are macro and micro economic issues largely beyond the purview of the state governments.

In this national economic crisis, the Federal Government through the National Economic Council attempted to create a collective focus for a solution. All states committed themselves to this national joint effort. This resulted in specific interventions designed to cushion the negative fallouts of the national dislocation in the national economy.

We, as a state government, commend President Bola Tinubu for his relentless action towards economic restoration. But as we all know and as we are still experiencing, the economic crisis continues unabated despite the best of efforts. Osun, through the National Economic Council, is collaborating with the central government to support federal initiatives targeted at reducing inflation, cost of living and stabilising the national economy.

I assure our people that the various intervention funds received from the Federal Government and development partners are being carefully applied for various purposes as designed, ranging from infrastructure, wage award, transport logistics to social investment as manifested in the many completed and ongoing grassroots development projects in Osun state. Our administration ensures strict compliance with due process, procurement laws and public service financial regulations.

Beyond supporting federal initiatives, our government is also ensuring judicious application of intervention resources for maximum impact. Unlike the practice in the past, our government is focussing on groups with a likely multiplier effect on the larger society. We are aware of the strong nexus between formal and informal sectors of Osun society.

To this end, our interventions is an holistic one that emphasise the following:

● Regular, full payment of workers’ salaries as at when due;

● Phased payment of half salary debt as a form of palliative;

● Phased payment of pension debt;

● Free enrolment of all pensioners in the health insurance scheme;

● Quarterly Imole free medical surgeries;

● Wage award to pensioners and public workers;

● Introduction of Imole bus service;

● Boosting local economy through strong local content in project implementation; and

● a system of direct labour for localisation.

I am happy to also report that as the state ramps up efforts to cushion the effect of hard times, we are also implementing an ambitious state agenda which targets infrastructure upgrade, diversifying the state economic base and deepening the revenue structure of the state.

For the infra upgrade, we are convinced that the state economy cannot attract required investment to realise its industrial potential unless the problem of infrastructure deficit is addressed. Hence, we have started the implementation of the multi-billion naira infra plan that I launched a few months ago.

For economic diversification, we are growing the creative industry; we are opening up the industrial sector; we are attracting investors in key sectors; and we are re-skilling our youth through the soon to be unveiled Imole Youth Corps.

To deepen the revenue base, we are tapping into the solid mineral sector; we are reforming the tax sector to eliminate multiple taxation while widening the tax base.

Our dream is for an Osun economy that gradually moves away from its civil service status to a modern agro – industrial based, creative industry focussed economy. Such diversification with a functioning cargo/commercial airport will grow Osun as a export oriented economy as well as a global tourist destination being the host of important Yoruba cultural assets.

MORE DIVIDENDS IN 2024

My good people of Osun state, I just signed Budget 2024 into law. It encompasses our plans and agenda for the new year. It is a year of reconstruction and eventual recovery. The infra projects slated for implementation this new year under the multi-billion naira programme include the following:

● Phase 2 of the reconstruction and furnishing of schools,making a total of 35 schools;

● Phase 2 of the water projects: 332 water projects, one in each ward of the state;

● Renovation, and in some cases, reconstruction and furnishing of primary care health centers. 345 in number with at least one in every ward of the state;

● Phase 2 of rehabilitation and Construction of roads across the State of about 1.5 Kilometers in each LGAs, totalling 31 kilometers of roads;

● Dualization of Old Garage – Okefia – Lameco road, Osogbo;

● Dualization of Ilesa/Akure -Brewery – Palace road, Ilesha;

● Dualization of Akoda-Baptist High School – Oke Gada road, Ede;

● Construction of flyover Okefia Roundabout, Osogbo;

● Construction of flyover at Lameco Roundabout, Osogbo;

● Construction of Flyover at Alamisi Junction roundabout, Ikirun;

● Construction of flyover at Mayfair Roundabout, Ile Ife;

● Construction of flyover at Owode market, Ede;

● Completion of rehabilitation of Inter-city roads such as Osogbo-Iwo Road plus dualisation from Odo Ori to Odo Oba River;

●Rehabilitation of Otan Ayegbaju – Iresi road;

● Rehabilitation of Ede-Egbedi-Erin Osun road among others.

We are implementing all the above projects without borrowing a kobo. We are relying on savings from various earnings, blockage of revenue leakage and reduction in the cost of governance and projects through localisation and direct labor.

Our administration has big ambitions to develop our dear state. We seek to bridge the developmental gap, to combine human and physical development. We are in a hurry to achieve both human and capital growth. My people, it is achievable. It is doable.

In the new year, we will refocus attention on cushioning current economic hardship while at the same time building the state economic base. Both goals are achievable as we have demonstrated in the last one year.

We seek your continued support to achieve our common agenda for collective prosperity. We promise to continue to be a listening and responsive administration, a government of the people ,by the people and for the people.

ADELEKE THANKS GOD FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE

As the new unfolds, the governor, who is highly sensitive to godly affairs, organised a prayer event, where the state arms gathered to apportion praises to God for His goodness.

At the event, the governor itemized the various steps the Almighty has involved in blessing the state. The address is presented below:

It is with deep gratitude to God that I welcome our religious leaders, traditional rulers and the entire state workforce to the 2024 edition of the state prayer assembly. We had gathered at the same time a year ago for the maiden state prayer of our administration.

Today, I am particularly full of praises and adoration to the Almighty Creator for answering all our prayers of January 2023. We had asked for favour, mercy and divine guidance less than two months after assuming office. The good Lord answered us.

In those turbulent days,we had sought the Lord’s help to calm the troubled water of state governance. We fervently prayed for divine victory as we then entered office under a deeply hostile environment. We cried to the Lord to rescue the state from those hell bent on truncating the will of the people. Those were troubling days for our dear state.

Today, I am overjoyed to stand before you to proclaim that our state is free from bondage of the past. Through the prayers of the just, the people of God secures victory, salvation and redemption. A year after fervent pleas to our dear creator, we all feel and experience the hand of God in our lives and in the governance of our state. My dear people of Osun state, ours was and will continue to be a God guided leadership.

My dear people of faith, I have personal confessions to make. In the last one year, I directly experienced divine guidance in making state decisions. On several occasions,God almighty was my instructor in deciding on key issues. When I told you I govern with the fear of God, It is not a joke. Our leadership is a product of divine plan and manifestation.

The signs are everywhere even for our political opponents to see. I will share some of the examples for you all. When I assumed the governorship of our dear state, many serious problems existed. Such issues appeared to have defied all solutions. My predecessor deliberately added petrol to the fire by laying several bobby traps before he left office. Nobody expects solutions from us. The thoughts of detractors was the expectation of failure.

But because we have a God who does not fail his beloved ones, doors open where none exist. The governance space witnessed policy innovations and implementation which provide answers to knotty state policy questions. Because we have a God who props up his favoured and chosen ones, our government successfully reset the button of the state public service, frontaly addressed workers’ welfare, put a smile on the faces of pensioners, restored local governance, implemented infra agenda and set the tone for sustainable governance.

Through God and people of goodwill, we succeeded where opponents never gave us a chance. We break jinx in critical areas and prove that Osun people can experience good governance despite all odds. Our government has manifested what many denied- that a God led administration is a condition for successful leadership in state governance.

On this note, let me place on record my deep appreciation to workers, staff and top management across Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Osun state government. I urge you to continue to maintain cohesion, love and support for your government under my leadership. Let us continue to seek the face of God across the faiths for the success of our collective project.

To our royal fathers and religious leaders, God is answering your prayers over me and my team. Do not relent in your prayers and guidance for us.

As I noted in my new year message, we have grand ambition to take Osun to greater heights. I trust that with God and people, we shall achieve our lofty goals and agenda for our dear state.

ADELEKE HOSTS STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

In continuation of his presentation of his notable strides with his team, Adeleke on January 4, addressed the executive council, beaming the light on the way forward to achieving greatness for the Osun people as well as showered encomiums on his officers with whose efforts he has achieved quite a lot.

He said:

1. I warmly welcome you all to this maiden meeting of the State Executive Council meeting for 2024. This is a year of reconstruction and recovery as our 2024 Budget indicated.

2. Let me start by commending us all for the wonderful performance of 2023. Our team was able to deliver on various fronts. We achieve a lot and I praise us for maintaining team spirit and commitment to the success of the administration.

3. As we enter the year 2024, we must redouble our efforts in service delivery to our people. We should note particularly that 2024 is a critical year for this administration. By December, we will be reaching the mid-term. We must move fast in the implementation of our sectoral plans. You all must work hard in your various ministries to achieve set goals.

4. Kindly be informed that I have set up a discreet Monitoring and Evaluation Team to prepare quarterly reports on Ministries and assess performance of members of the cabinet. Even though you did not sign a performance bond on assumption of office, you will henceforth be evaluated on your service delivery. We will not hesitate to remove from office any appointee that fails to deliver based on Monitoring and Evaluation reports.

5. As we commence the 2024 governance activities, I call on cabinet members to maintain a united front. The Cabinet is one united family with equal rights and privileges for members. That is a settled matter in line with best practices. There must be an immediate end to rivalry and segregation within the Cabinet.

6. I also want to urge cabinet members to focus on serious state matters rather than lobbying around issues of personal benefits. I have told you all, times without numbers, before and after your appointment, that we need to make sacrifices. We must offer what we can do for our state, not asking what our state can do for us. That is the path of patriots.

7. Permit me to commend the Deputy Governor who is doing a lot of holding fort. We note your commitment to duty and loyalty to the Imole project.

8. To my Chief of Staff, you deserve a trophy for exceptional hard work. You are covering a lot of fields. You are delivering as a very important official of this administration. I thank you for being a trusted brother and associate.

9. Similar commendation goes to the Secretary to the State Government. We appreciate your invaluable contributions and support for our collective success.

10. On this note , let’s start the business of the day.

ADELEKE UNVEILS SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS

In recognition of traditional rulers, Governor Adeleke unveiled an integrated support package for Osun State Council of Obas as a pillar of peoples’ government, according to a statement signed by the Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

At the second strategic consultative meeting with the state royal fathers , Governor Adeleke listened attentively to the suggestions and submissions of the royal fathers under the leadership of His Royal Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi before opening up on his plan for the state’s Council of Obas.

Governor Adeleke who reminded the Council of inherited challenges faced by his administration, said his team prioritized royal institutions first because he grew up within a palace environment and because service delivery is best facilitated by royal fathers.

“Our Obas live and dine with the people. They are the custodian of our culture with deep affinity with the people. In Africa, productive collaboration with traditional rulers is therefore the foundation of successful governance,” the Governor posited.

Governor Adeleke disclosed that despite the harsh state of finance, his administration has crafted a support package for the traditional rulers which is already under implementation.

He speaks on the package as follows: ”Our administration will continue to support our Kings for the successful hosting of their town days. We will work on a public- private partnership for town development through town day celebration.

“Medical support for our fathers will also be expanded. We will look into the possibility of health insurance enrollment as we did for pensioners in the state.

“We have already increased the sitting allowances of our Kabiyesi. This has taken effect statewide.

“We are addressing the issue of new cars for our Kabiyesi with all sense of seriousness. Gradually, we will be satisfying this genuine aspiration of our fathers in this respect.

“It is however my singular honour to announce that within the first tenure of our administration, we will build a befitting Council of Obas Secretariat in the state. This will be fully equipped to fully recognise our fathers as a pillar of people’s government.

Going forward, I am using this opportunity to inform our royal fathers that Ipade Imole holds on a quarterly basis. I seek your regular attendance as a Council.

The Governor who also addressed issues raised by the royal fathers, promised to tackle controversies over elevation of Ibas, review of Obaship laws, release of white papers on some kingship stools and the role of royal fathers in state governance.

“ I will direct relevant commissioners to take up all issues raised at this meeting. I also urged our fathers to submit position papers on all issues raised here”, the governor submitted.

The Governor who received applause from Council members said he was elated that “our fathers here have severally testified to our service delivery in road construction, school rehabilitation, water provisions, health care access, workers and pensioners welfare.

“We crowned our one year super delivery with the unveiling of the multi-billion naira infra agenda designed to prepare Osun as an investment and global tourism destination. I am happy to report that implementation of the plan has commenced statewide.

“My highly revered royal fathers, we have been managing state finance with a high level of prudence and self sacrifice. My security vote is going for state development. As we are tightening our belts, we are spending on infrastructure and human support.

“We are tapping into new sources of revenue. The reform of the solid mineral sector is ongoing. The goal is to ensure maximum benefit for the state from her natural resources. We are working to improve internally generated revenue without imposing an excessive tax burden on our people.

“We cultivated a culture of saving for project execution. Unlike practice in the past, federal interventions under our watch are judiciously administered. In recent months following the economic crisis triggered at the national level, we implemented palliative administration in transparent and accountable manners. We did not hoard palliative materials. We rather allowed the public through various associations to handle the distribution.

“In a demonstration of responsible leadership, we created a project account to keep the N7 billion naira federal intervention fund. As the state is spending multi-billion naira on infra agenda, the N7 billion is an addition to contribute to the bridging of the state infra deficit.

“Our governance ambition is multi-dimensional. Your government is pushing to achieve a decade old ambition within four years. My friends tell me my plans are too ambitious but I respond to them that we are too late to allow the sky to be our limit.
The Osun agro-sector must develop. We must grow our creative industry with the full involvement of our traditional rulers. We are matching with God towards that goal.

Responding, the Chairman of the Osun State Council of Obas, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ogunwusi commended the Governor for his good governance records and delivery of service to the people.

“We appreciate Mr Governor for his partnership with the Council. We offer open hands and we are glad that the Governor has wholeheartedly embraced our hands of fellowship. We pledge full support for the success of Mr Governor”, the royal father noted.

OVERVIEW OF ONE YEAR IN OFFICE

While felicitating with the good people of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has felicitated with the people of Osun State as his administration marks one in office.

In the statement he personally signed, the governor informed that the last one year has been characterized by reconstruction and reconfiguration of various of the state’s economy, adding that the administration has been able to navigate through “numerous land mines deliberately set by the past administration to frustrate our administration” to provide appropriate leadership and benefits for the people of Osun state.

Adeleke further intimated that he is on a working visit to Europe and Asia, where he hope to attract investment opportunities foe the state.

The governor highlighted stability of the civil service, improved intercity road networks, surgical and medical outreaches as well as the #Imole100BInfrastructure as some of the laudable achievements of his administration in the last one year.

Below is the detailed statement:

It is one year ago today since our administration came into office. It has been a year of reconstruction and reconfiguration across the various sectors of the osun economy.

Due to the current economic situation in the state and our country in general, I have directed that this anniversary be conducted in a low key atmosphere. I remain committed to prudent use of our scarce resources on more pressing issues.

I am currently on a working vacation to Europe and Asia where I am advancing partnership discussion with potential investors needed to improve our state economy.

It is important to recognize the enormous challenges and obstacles we have overcome and the progress we have made thus far. Despite the numerous land mines deliberately set by the past administration to frustrate our administration, we have developed a robust mechanism to successfully navigate and overcome these challenges.

We have stabilized the state civil service with continuous commitment to the welfare of the state civil servants and pensioners, this we will continue to focus on in fulfillment of a critical part of our 5 point agenda.

We have massively improved intracity road network across the state by constructing over 90KM of roads, completion of the Phase II of Òṣogbo-Ikirun road and ongoing construction of Osun ring road (Ona Baba Ona) both abandoned by the past administration.

We have embarked on surgical and medical outreach that benefited over 50,000 vulnerable citizens. Also, we have completely rehabilitated over 31 schools across the state.

Recently, I launched the #Imole100BInfrastructure that focuses on education, health, road construction and water. These are critical sectors that we have identified to urgently revamp for the sustainability and development of the state economy.

I am happy to share that as we move forward, the positive results of our collaborative efforts for the past one year are expected to bear fruit. With projected increase in our internally generated revenue and prudent application of public funds, our infrastructure plan will be fully funded without seeking external loan.

Today, I re-affirm my commitment to serving with the fear of God and focused on delivering on my 5 point agenda as promised during the campaign season.

I thank you for your continuous support and prayer as you continue to support our efforts to develop our dear state.

RELEASE OF WAGE AWARD

Adeleke has also approved the payment of wage award of N15,000 and N10,000 respectively to civil servants and pensioners in the state as a measure to mitigate the impact of subsidy removal.

“On the first day of my second year in office, I unveil this wage award and reaffirm our five point agenda which has workers’ welfare as number one item,” Governor Adeleke noted.

Governor Adeleke’s approval was conveyed in a circular issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Capacity Building, disclosing that workers in the service of the state will get a N15,000 wage award while pensioners will receive N10,000.

The circular which was signed by Sunday Olugbenga Fadele, a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, noted that the wage award will run for six months, beginning from the month of December.

“Sequel to the negotiation meetings and interactions with labour movement in Osun state, including the representatives of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, the Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, has approved the monthly payment of N15,000 to each active worker and N10,000 to each pensioners in Osun state as palliatives to assuage the pains being experienced as a result of removal of petroleum subsidy by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The payment, as approved, is to commence from the month of December, 2023 for a period of six (6) months,” the circular reads in part.

“While acknowledging and appreciating the understanding of Osun state workers and pensioners for their show of understanding regarding the efforts of the State Government in the last one year to improve tremendously on their welfare, being the first on the 5-point Action Plan, the present administration will continue to ensure its commitment to the welfare of workers are met at all times.

“It is expected that this gesture of government will spur workers in the State to be more diligent and committed to their duties.”

We celebrate with the performing governor, wishing him greater heights as his administration continues to thrive.

Congratulations sir!